Jess Philips - what was happening locally?

[MidnightPatrol]

I have seen the video this morning of Jess Philips standing up to a baying mob, on announcement of her victory in Birmingham Yardley.

She refers to a campaign of harassment of her staff - slashing tyres and filming etc.

There is then clearly a mob of people in the venue shouting.

What is the wider story / background on this? Who are the people intimidating them? Is it another candidate?

Pro Palestine/Anti Israeli demonstrations . There was a Palestine protest vote in the West Midlands as a whole in areas with a large muslim population.

She has done a lot to help victims of domestic abuse etc. I'm glad she managed to keep her seat.

Identity politics and religious sectarianism is coming home to roost.

We've had 14 years of division and culture wars, what do you expect?

I don't get the hecklers saying shame on her regarding Palestine. She literally left her shadow bench position to defy the Labour stance on calling for a ceasefire.

The attitude of the Workers party candidate in that constituency was disgusting

How many potential labour candidates spoke up about Palestine and how many were abused and heckled ?

Could it be ... just thinking aloud here ... could it be because she's a woman ?

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/25/political-pressure-bullying-mps-right-demonstrate-protests amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/25/political-pressure-bullying-mps-right-demonstrate-protests]]]]

A guy called Jody McIntyre. Associated with Workers Party, but technically an independent. Homophobic, transphobic.

Ran on a Pro Palestine platform. He’s a convert to Islam.

From all accounts, the behaviour of his campaign team was awful. I’m passionate about what’s happening to Palestinians. Disappointed he’s on the same side.

Jess’s TV interview afterwards was really moving.

This stuff is way older than 14 years.

Labour has always flirted with groups that prioritise religious and ethnic identities over social cohesion. Sooner or later there would be consequences. It must have been quite a scary experience for Jess Phillips. Looks like she managed to stand her ground despite the intimidation. But it shouldn't come as a surprise.

She was awesome for that. It’s definitely cause she’s a woman.

@LawrieForShepherdsBoy so are they shouting because he lost?

Hasnt she been quite pro-Palestine anyway?

So it’s Jody McIntyres guys who have been harassing and her team? Just childish stupidity?

Is there a religious / women angle to this at all?

Feel like there’s a huge amount of info I have missed!

I’m in Brum(Ladywood Constituency)
and for the first time there were police outside the polling stations.

Tensions have been high because of intimidation tactics by campaigners for the independent candidate around here. Some have basically said if you don’t vote for him you aren’t a good muslim and you don’t support Gaza. Others have said you can’t vote for a woman to be in charge. I’ve heard them and had to grit my teeth rather than speak up because one woman against a group of men saying that isn’t going to get far.

To see police outside was concerning but at the same time I can see why. The pavement opposite the polling station had a group of 20 men with stickers/flyers - it felt threatening.

There was another pro-Palestinian candidate on the roster I believe and, funnily enough, being a bloke, they weren’t heckled!

Unfortunately, appeasement usually never works.

If that’s how they treat a Woman who supports their ‘cause’, what would they do to those of us who don’t, given the chance?
Terrorist supporters showing their true colours, who would have thunk it?

@LawrieForShepherdsBoy does Jody McIntyre have cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair?

Even more intriguing.

So a disabled, white, Muslim convert that hates women and LGBT issues, standing for the Workers Party on a predominantly pro-Gaza mandate? And he almost won.

A lot to unpick there!

That sounds quite disturbing and scary. I haven't seen anything mentioned in the news about all this.

She was absolutely right when she talked about the toxicity of this campaign. What appalling behaviour, those men heckling her will not stop so she's for a rough time ahead, I do not envy her.
Slashing tyres. Foul, foul people. I'm honestly disgusted by what I saw and heard there in that hall and I've shared it widely.
Everyone should be speaking up against this sort of intimidation of women.

Which one is the independent? Not Jody McIntrye?

How big is the Muslim population locally, significant enough to swing the vote?

Why are they all so in favour of these candidates - is it just Gaza, or are they people otherwise significant locally?

Im fascinated by the intimidation tactics - where has that come from?! It’s not something I typically associate with UK politics - were they intimidating people at the polling stations?

Sounds even more crazy than I thought.

@TheColourOutOfSpace no i haven’t read about it anywhere either.

I’ve heard JP discuss harassment and intimidation before - but this sounds very extreme, targeted and organised. The previous reporting had made it sound more like the odd nutter.

@Ohyoudodoyou you wouldn’t see it in the news. My area is ignored unless they want an article on deprived areas or parking problems.

We were part of hodge hill previously but with the boundary changes Ladywood covers more areas.
I should have taken pictures but I had my 4 year old with me so voted and went home straight away. Could hear the megaphones blasting right up till 9:55.

Islamic extremists targeted her. She has always pandered to them a bit but not enough for them clearly.

it’s awful. Sadly Jess didn’t speak out when this happened to others whether by religious extremists or anti women trans extremists. Hopefully this will be a wake up call.

This post reads like you blame Jess Phillips for the intimidation she was subjected to rather than the men dishing it out.

Perhaps you'd like to reword it.

I wondered what had gone on. I came across McIntyres campaign a few weeks ago and noticed it was all men. Very red-flaggy. Nasty piece of work.

I sincerely hope the police are taking Jess's security seriously.

Jess Phillips needs more security than Starmer does. It was horrific what happened to her and her team.

I saw it on twitter via Ch 4 but you are correct, what we see in MSM v social media is entirely different. We ALL should be speaking up about this I want to content but sure where to start. Women in the public eye getting this level of harassment. Not acceptable, we need to be changing how politicians are having dialogues in order to bring back rational and civilised discourse.